RBW Consulting launches findings from its second IMPACT initiative

RBW Consulting, a recruitment and search consultancy specialising in the life science sector, and The International Longevity Centre (ILC), have today unveiled a new report that delves deeper into the topic of age inclusivity in clinical trials.

The Trial and error report urges regulators, pharmaceutical companies and researchers to prioritise age diversity at all stages of the clinical trial process. Informed by in-depth expert interviews and a roundtable discussion, it explores the reasons for the lack of representation of older people in clinical trials and includes eight recommendations to ensure improvements are made.

Emma Thorp, chief commercial officer at RBW Consulting, said: "We are proud to have partnered with the ILC on this project. Against the backdrop of the United Nations decade of healthy ageing, it felt like the right time to drill down into the needs of older people as part of the movement to make clinical trials more representative.

"It’s our hope that this work will support our clients and the industry in general with inclusive trial design. The more we can identify and share practical solutions, the more progress we will make, and our hope is that this work will sit alongside the excellent efforts of others to make real change happen."

It is RBW's second initiative under its innovative IMPACT programme, which sees the consultancy invest pro bono in patient-focussed projects where there is a shortage of knowledge, data, discussion or practical implementation on important issues within the health or life science sector. It follows RBW's 2021 ‘Emotional Odyssey’ initiative, which focused on the psychological impact of rare disease diagnoses in partnership with Rare Disease Research Partners (RDRP). That body of work has since been well utilised across the healthcare system and within a policy setting, including being cited as a key reference in the latest rare disease action plan from the UK Department of Health and Social Care, published in February of this year.

Esther McNamara, senior health policy lead at ILC and author of the report, explains: "We are delighted to have partnered with RBW Consulting on this important work. This issue has rumbled on for many years; regulators, patient groups, researchers and pharmaceutical companies agree that a concerted effort is required to include more older people in trials. These are the very people who can make sure that the best treatments are found for the conditions that affect them most. We spoke with a range of expert stakeholders to reach conclusions and make recommendations in our report, which, if implemented, could support huge changes that better serve older patients."